The following post is related to the Center’s work on a Health Impact Assessment of a proposed biomass-powered energy facility in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  The facility was proposed as a potential remedy to the issue of nutrient concentration related to trends in livestock production.  Each post in the series describes one particular aspect of interest from the Center’s analysis. 

Community Noise

Among the residents and stakeholders with whom we spoke throughout the course of this project, the health impact that came as the biggest surprise to them was the impact of noise pollution.  The operations of the facility itself and the trucks that are necessary to transport the litter and wood biomass will contribute to a higher level of community noise.  This is a concern in the area near the facility itself as well as any communities near a common supply route for the trucks.

Some of the health effects associated with community noise, such as annoyance or sleep disturbance, seem relatively benign; however, research also links noise with more serious health outcomes such as hypertension or stroke.  The population over 50 years of age and especially those over 65 years of age are particularly vulnerable.  One study found that every increase of 10 decibels in community noise is associated with a 27% increased risk of stroke for those over 65 years of age.

Stroke Deaths in the Valley

Compared with the rest of the counties in Virginia, the four counties that make up the Shenandoah Valley have a high stroke-specific mortality rate in the elderly population.  Another way of saying this is that of the total deaths of people over the age of 65 that occur in a given year in the Valley, the cause of death is generally more likely to be a stroke than it is in other counties in Virginia.  The reasons for this are not entirely clear but if an increase in community noise results in a higher amount of strokes occurring in this population, it could exacerbate the stroke death rate which is already comparatively high.

Community Noise from the Facility

As mentioned in an earlier post, a centralized location for litter delivery could result in a net decrease in total truck traffic throughout the Valley.  If this can be accomplished, the facility may contribute to a reduction in exposure to community noise in some parts of the Valley.  However, total truck miles is not as important  for reducing adverse health outcomes associated with noise as is congestion of truck traffic.  A new facility, even if it reduces truck miles, moves truck trips from occurring in many different areas of the Valley to a more congested area near the facility.  It is around this area as well as any common truck routes where community noise becomes a bigger concern.

Because those over 50 years of age are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of community noise, it is particularly important to avoid areas that are dense with this population when locating the facility.  In addition, care must be taken when designing the supply routes of trucks to the facility so that they avoid communities with a large senior population.  Noise barriers at the facility and along the route can further reduce the health implications of community noise.  The facility can further reduce the health risk by limiting the speed at which trucks travel through community areas and restricting transport to only occur during business hours.